The internet is rife with claims about the potential benefits of CBD and our job at CBD World News is to pick through the claims and establish the fact from the fiction. Remember, the science is still in its infancy, and while the perceived benefits have been linked to the interaction between cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, we are far from being certain of the science in most cases.

As we continue to hear more and more about the potential benefits of CBD, there does appear to be some sort of bias in how tests are conducted, hence there being increasing calls for more result-oriented and unbiased assessments, where both the researchers and research subjects will have no idea about who receives what treatment.

In this article, we shall discuss the rise of double-blind placebo-controlled testing in CBD and how it can serve to provide us with more stringently derived insights regarding the benefits of CBD.

What is double-blind placebo testing?

Research studies follow a hierarchy in terms of the quality of evidence and results they can offer. The quality of this research depends on the level of testing carried out on the participants. One of the most utilized testing methods for epidemiologic studies is the double-blind placebo-controlled testing, which has been identified as the gold standard for testing the efficacy of a new drug on certain disease conditions.

A double-blind placebo test is one in which neither the participants nor the researchers know who is receiving a particular treatment. The procedure is commonly employed to reduce the possible causes of bias in experimental design and result collation.

During a double-blind placebo experiment, the participants are separated into groups. One group is given an inactive placebo (usually a sugar pill) while the other is administered with the treatment. This process is carried in a completely randomized manner hence the name, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study (RDBPC).

The participants who are administered both the placebo and the treatment are monitored for the relative effects, and the result is later collated for analysis. Since both experimenter and participants have no clue about who receives any of the treatment, the chances of modifying the results are much reduced.

 

Why do we need double-blind placebo testing for CBD products?

The short answer is that for many people using CBD, the perception equals reality. However, as we know, this is far from the way things actually are!

The use of double-blind placebo testing in CBD plays two important roles;

  1. The participants cannot influence the results or lie about their feelings since they are not aware of what they received. They will be forced to tell the truth, thus increasing the credibility of the research work.
  2. The researchers are less likely to change the results of the experiment to suit their taste or objectives. They are also incapable of revealing subtle clues to their participants, which may affect the results.

By using double-blind placebo testing on CBD products, researchers get a chance to monitor both the long and short-term effects of the product on their users. The use of double-blind placebo testing on CBD products has been utilized in patients with acute, chronic, nonmalignant, or cancer pains. In one of the trials, the application of CBD was found to be as effective as codeine but with some dose-limiting effects.

In another research work published in 2010, researchers examined the effect of THC: CBD in relieving the pain of patients suffering from cancer. The research work recruited 177 patients with cancer pain who experienced inadequate analgesia despite chronic opioid dosing. The research ran a span of two weeks with a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. Sixty (60) patients received THC: CBD extract, while 58 patients received THC extract alone, and 59 were administered with placebo. The results of the experiment later revealed how taking THC; CBD extracts could provide better relief from pain than THC extracts alone.

The results obtained from this research were free from bias hence may experience a higher level of acceptance by the scientific community. The rise of double-blind placebo-controlled testing in CBD is set to take CBD products to the next level.

The Bottom Line.

The more we learn about CBD via highly effective research methodologies, the easier it will become for us to identify the real effects on the body. Therefore the continued application of double-Blind placebo-controlled testing in CBD is very important to both researchers and participants alike and should be encouraged by both to forward the science behind the claims.

Be sure to share our articles, because the further they go, the faster the pace of research and innovation can become, and don’t forget to contact us if you have questions on CBD testing. We would love to hear from you!

Ian Parkes

Ian has been writing for a number of high growth industries for the past decade. Having plied his trade in the craft beer industry, Ian drew parallels between that and the world of CBD and soon became fascinated. Ian enjoys writing about innovation in the industry, particularly as it relates to the development of the leading brands.

See all posts by Ian Parkes

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